An Overview

Since 1972, the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine has continued to carry out its mission - to improve the oral health of southern Illinois and the region through education, patient care, scholarship and service. In 1975, the SIU School of Dental Medicine graduated its first class of outstanding dental practitioners. Including the Class of 2012, the SIU School of Dental Medicine has now trained over 1,600 dentists.

The Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine offers a nationally recognized dental education to nearly 200 students, or approximately 50 students in each class year. Historically, students from the SIU School of Dental Medicine achieve exceptionally high first time pass rates on the National Board Dental Exams, Parts I and II. Passing the exams is a requirement for licensure in the United States and is a strong indicator of student preparedness to practice dentistry. Students graduate with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree as some of the best general practitioners of dentistry in the country.

The primary dental education and patient care facilities of the SIU School of Dental Medicine are located in the historic City of Alton. Most student clinical experience and dental patient care is provided in the Main Clinic in Alton. In addition, experience in diagnosis, treatment planning, surgery, and prosthodontic treatment for implant dentistry are offered in the Advanced Care Wing of the Main Clinic in Alton. Rotations to the community-based East St. Louis Dental Clinic offer students an extra opportunity to provide dental care to patients in an underserved area.

Forty years later, the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine continues to foster a proud tradition of excellence in dental education. The school offers a premier dental education for the students it serves, and the students, faculty and staff provide quality dental care for the patients they treat.